Unbeaten 118 by Kanitkar

Hrishikesh Kanitkar played a captain's knock to lead Board President's XI to a healthy 314 for five on the opening day of their three-day tie against Zimbabwe in Faridabad on Monday.

Kanitkar's unbeaten 118 was the highlight of the Board President's innings, which also saw handsome contributions from Virendra Sehwag (60), Vijay Dahiya (50) and Hemang Badani (35) as the Zimbabwe bowlers were unable to contain the scoring despite picking up regular wickets.

Kanitkar was associated in two important partnerships -- 108 runs for the fourth wicket with Sehwag and an unfinished 51-run stand for the sixth wicket with Abhijit Kale -- as the batsmen completely dominated the proceedings.

Kanitkar's 190-ball knock contained 14 boundaries and one six which brought up his century.

Earlier, the Board eleven had a subdued start after electing to bat and surprisingly sending in Vijay Dahiya to open the innings with Punjab youngster Ravneet Ricky.

It took five overs for the home team to hit the first scoring shot when Ricky hit Henry Olonga for a four. Dahiya followed suit in the next over by Travis Friend to begin his flurry of shots all over the ground.

Zimbabwe got the first breakthrough in the 13th over when Friend had Ricky caught by Trevor Madondo at second slip.

Dahiya was joined by Badani, who promptly despatched the first ball he faced of Friend, to the long-off boundary and then pulled him for a six over the midwicket in the bowler's next over.

The duo scored briskly with boundaries aplenty for Board President's XI, who took lunch at 83 for one.

Badani, who looked very impressive in his 47-ball 35, was bowled by a low delivery by Paul Strang in the second over of the post lunch session. His innings was studded with six fours and a six.

Dahiya's flamboyant knock also ended soon after he reached his 50, when Grant Flower took a spectacular one-handed air-borne catch off Paul Strang. Dahiya's 104-ball 50 contained eight boundaries.

Kanitkar, who came at the fall of Badani's wicket, and Sehwag were then associated in the most fruitful stand of the day with Sehwag in particular being very severe on the spinners.

The Delhi batsman hit leg-spinner Brain Murphy for two fours and a six in a single over and two successive boundaries in another as Board eleven went to tea at 196 for three.

Sehwag brought up his 50 with a six off Grant Flower and hit another four before his sterling knock was put to an end by Paul Strang, who had him caught at long-off by Olonga.

Kanitkar, who in the meanwhile crossed his half-century, took charge after Sehwag's dismissal and played some delightful strokes all around the wicket.

Scoreboard

Board President's XI (1st innings):

R Rickey c Madando b Friend 5
V Dahiya c G Flower b P Strang 50
H Badani b P Strang 35
H Kanitkar batting 118
V Sehwag c Olonga b Strang 60
A Ali b Strang b Murphy 16
A Kale batting 15
Extras (b-2, lb-3, nb-10) 15
Total (for 5 wkts in 90 overs) 314
Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-88, 3-119, 4-227, 5-263.
Bowling: Olonga 18-6-47-0, Friend 12-3-38-1, Nkala 11-2-44-0, P Strang 20-4-59-3, B Murphy 16-2-75-1, G Flower 13-1-46-0.

Mail Cricket Editor